Vieux Carre Commission seeking nominees for preservation awards

The Vieux Carre Commission is seeking nominations for its highest honor, the Elizebeth T. Werlein Award. The award honors individuals or organizations for "distinguished contributions to the preservation of the Vieux Carre."

The award was established in 1986 as part of the celebration of the commission's 50th anniversary.

In 1936, a group under the leadership of Elizebeth Werlein successfully lobbied the Legislature to initiate a referendum to amend the state constitution to authorize creation of a body to oversee preservation of the Vieux Carre. On Nov. 3, 1936, voters statewide overwhelmingly approved the amendment.

Members of the preservation and French Quarter communities are asked to submit nominations for worthy recipients for this year's award, which will be presented at the commission's 2012 awards ceremony in May.

The commission also has requested nominations for architectural awards covering French Quarter projects finished between 2008 and December 2011. The awards recognize excellence in restoration, renovation, reconstruction, rehabilitation and new construction.

All nominations should be sent to Hilary Irvin, the commission's principal architectural historian, at hirvin@nola.gov.

Past recipients of the Werlein Award have included the following: Mary Meek Morrison, John C. Dodt III, the Ella West Freeman Foundation, the Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates organization, the New Orleans chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Friends of the Cabildo organization, Dr. Bernard Lemann, Ann and Frank Masson, the New Orleans Town Gardeners, Gary Williams, Ray Boudreaux, Eugenie Schwartz, U.S. Rep. Lindy Boggs, Jane Brooks, George Leake, Malcolm Heard Jr., Jean Boebel, Steve Scalia and Milton Melton together, and Nathan Chapman.

The commission formerly presented awards every year, but since Hurricane Katrina it has held only one ceremony, in 2008, honoring projects completed during the years 2004-07.